Washington, DC—Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement this morning after Republicans blocked efforts by Senators Menendez and Shaheen to hold BP accountable for the Gulf Coast oil spill:

“While I am encouraged that BP is showing signs of taking more responsibility by agreeing to set up the $20 billion accountability fund that Senate Democrats requested earlier this week and deciding to not pay out dividends for the rest of the year, I am disappointed that Republicans are still refusing to hold Big Oil accountable for their negligence.

“The proposals offered by Senators Menendez and Shaheen are common-sense ideas to ensure that the companies that caused this disaster cannot hide behind flimsy excuses or outdated statutes to avoid taking full responsibility for the damages they have caused. Unfortunately, Republicans blocked those proposals. Every time they have been presented with a choice between protecting victims of this spill and protecting big corporate oil interests, Republicans have sided with Big Oil every single time.

“While Democrats are moving forward to compensate victims fairly and start the rebuilding process in the Gulf, Republicans are leaving America vulnerable to this disaster happening